MrBeast is called the internet's nicest man - now he faces 54-page lawsuit

Half a cardinal fans, a multi-million dollar idiosyncratic luck and a planetary concern empire.

It would instrumentality a batch to dethrone YouTube's biggest influencer Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast.

But a 54-page tribunal papers could beryllium his toughest trial yet.

Five pistillate contestants connected upcoming Prime Video amusement Beast Games are launching ineligible action against his accumulation institution MrB2024 and Amazon successful Los Angeles.

Billed arsenic the largest ever world contention series, 1,000 contestants are acceptable to vie for a $5m (£3.7m) prize erstwhile the amusement airs - oregon if it airs. The suit has plunged the amusement into crisis.

Among galore redacted pages, the ineligible papers includes allegations that they "particularly and collectively suffered" successful an situation that "systematically fostered a civilization of misogyny and sexism".

It cuts to the halfway of MrBeast's representation arsenic 1 of the nicest guys connected the internet.

I flicked done the document, which includes suggestions that participants were "underfed and overtired". Meals were provided "sporadically and sparsely" which "endangered the wellness and welfare" of the contestants, it is claimed.

In 1 conception wherever astir each of the claims are redacted from nationalist view, it says the defendants "created, permitted to exist, and fostered a civilization and signifier and signifier of intersexual harassment including successful the signifier of a hostile enactment environment".

Back successful August, the New York Times spoke to much than a dozen of the (yet unreleased) show's participants, and reported determination were "several hospitalisations" connected the set, with 1 idiosyncratic telling the insubstantial they had gone implicit 20 hours without being fed.

Contestants besides alleged they had not received their medicine connected time.

The BBC has approached MrBeast and Amazon - helium has not yet publically commented.

So volition these latest allegations wounded the king of YouTube's popularity?

MrBeast is nary alien to contention this twelvemonth - and has managed to travel retired unscathed each time.

In July, the 26-year-old American said helium had hired investigators aft his erstwhile co-host Ava Kris Tyson was accused of grooming a teenager.

Ava denied the allegations, but has apologised for "past behaviour" which was "not acceptable".

MrBeast said helium was "disgusted" by the "serious allegations".

Later, further allegations astir concern practices surfaced connected an anonymous YouTube channel, claiming to beryllium a erstwhile employee. The BBC has not been capable to independently verify the claims oregon this person's identity.

Some of his philanthropic efforts - specified arsenic gathering wells successful Africa, and paying for country for radical with reduced show and proceeding - person drawn criticisms astir exploitation.

"Deaf radical similar maine merit amended than MrBeast’s latest portion of inspiration porn," one idiosyncratic told the Independent past year.

But his empire continues to grow. The time earlier the suit emerged connected Wednesday, helium revealed a team-up with chap celebrated faces KSI and Logan Paul - a caller nutrient enactment designed to situation Lunchables.

And arsenic I wrote in an nonfiction astir his meteoric emergence past year, helium has made his millions done hard work.

His videos are large fund experiences, with his astir fashionable - viewed 652 cardinal times - recreating the Netflix deed Squid Game successful existent life with a $456,000 (£342,000) prize.

Most of his philanthropy is little arguable - including giving distant houses, currency and cars - which has worked to make an representation of him being 1 of the internet's bully guys.

According to his website, helium has delivered much than 25 cardinal meals to the needy astir the world.

People proceed to flock to his societal channels. In June, helium gained capable subscribers to marque his YouTube transmission the largest successful the world.

According to stats-checker Socialblade, MrBeast picked up an other 5 cardinal subscribers successful the past 30 days alone.

That’s conscionable 1 metric - we can’t archer however galore radical unsubscribed from his channel, for example.

What is definite is that the fig of radical who’ve actively decided to halt watching his videos has been eclipsed by those who’ve decided to subscribe.

He wouldn't beryllium the lone YouTuber whose popularity holds done contention - others person faced acold much important storms than MrBeast, with fewer facing galore consequences extracurricular of a nationalist apology.

Logan Paul faced a monolithic backlash successful 2018 aft helium uploaded a video to his 15 cardinal subscribers which showed the assemblage of a idiosyncratic who had seemingly taken their ain life.

After removing the archetypal video, he shared a little than two-minute apology titled simply: "So sorry."

Now, helium has 23 cardinal subscribers, owns an incredibly fashionable sports drink, and up until August was the WWE United States champion. He's had rather a fewer pay-per-view boxing bouts, too.

Other high-profile YouTubers, including Pewdiepie, James Charles, and Jeffree Star person each had their ain controversies, and got connected with their careers aft uploading apology videos.

A much modern illustration is Herschel "Guy" Beahm, known online arsenic Dr Disrespect, who admitted helium sent messages to "an idiosyncratic minor" successful 2017.

He stressed that "nothing amerciable happened, nary pictures were shared, nary crimes were committed" and went offline for 2 months aft posting the statement.

His comeback livestream earlier this period attracted much than 3 cardinal views, contempt disapproval from different high-profile streamers.

Dr Disrespect remains the second-most watched streamer successful the US this year, according to Streams Charts.

The constituent is: YouTubers thin to beryllium forgiven quickly.

While MrBeast's fanbase has continued growing, contention is swirling erstwhile again - and his adjacent determination could find his semipermanent success.

James Lunn, main strategy serviceman astatine Savvy Marketing, says the prima is "in an incredibly unsocial position" with a "multi-faceted" marque spanning galore industries.

"We are so successful uncharted waters," helium says, and "a proactive approach, addressing the issues transparently and ensuring accountability, could support his brand".

Brand adept Catherine Shuttleworth says the "sheer scale" of MrBeast’s fame whitethorn enactment arsenic a buffer against backlash, but the latest suit could beryllium difficult.

"When it comes to his concern ventures, peculiarly those targeting families and children - similar Feastables cocoa bars oregon Lunchly - it’s a antithetic story," she says.

"Parents, who often clasp the purchasing power, thin to beryllium little tolerant of controversies involving safety, fairness, and ethics."

Back successful August 2023, erstwhile penning astir MrBeast, I predicted helium would soon instrumentality the YouTube crown contempt him having fractional arsenic galore subscribers then.

He is present facing other challenges arsenic his fame rises, and a batch of the net is eagerly awaiting his reply to what is, truthful far, 1 broadside of a analyzable story.